Garment shoulder strap and fastening means therefor



June 24, 1947. v. A. PATTERSON GARMENT SHOULDER STRAP AND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR Filed June 13, 1945 Inventor izfli'iarffifierson and Wave; Em

Patented June 24, 1947 GARMENT SHOULDER STRAP AND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR Vivian Airhart Patterson, Opelousas, La.

Application June 13, 1945, Serial No. 599,236

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to shoulder straps and fastening devices such as are primarily adapted for use on feminine undergarments, the same being expressly, but not necessarily, adapted for use on and in connection with a brassire or a brassire-equipped or so-called combination slip.

Briefly and broadly, the preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by a tab which is attached to the garment, said tab being provided with quick separable fastening means, and the tab and fastening means being constructed to accommodate the adjustable apertured end of a complemental shoulder strap.

More specifically, and in carrying out the principles of the invention, I provide a short tab which is stitched to a predetermined portion of the associated garment, the opposite ends of said tab being connected together when the tab is folded upon itself to form a loop, the bend of the loop having a slot and said slot serving to permit passage therethrough of the apertured shoulder strap. Thus, and in this arrangement, the fastening means serves not only to form the loop, but also constitutes the means to adjustably attach the apertured end of the shoulder strap to said loop, and thus to the garment.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings. I

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the upper portion of a garment, such as a slip, brassiere, or the like, andillustrating the improved shoulder strap and adjustment obtaining and maintaining means, the latter constructed in accordance with the specific principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a view like Figure 1 with the shoulder strap removed and with the loop-forming tab spread to open position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view with parts in elevation, this being taken approximately on the plane of the vertical line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

By way of introduction to the detailed description, it is to be pointed out that I have not attempted to show a complete garment. Nor have I attempted to illustrate the straps and fastening devices in pairs as would naturally constitute the actual situation in practice. As a matter of fact, the strap and fastening means is applicable to different types of undergarments, and, hence, I have not seen fit to limit the drawings to any particular style. It follows, therefore, that the numeral 5 designates a fragmentary portion of a feminine undergarment. For the sake of discussion, this will be considered as one of the wings or end portions of a brassiere. The numeral 6 designates the tab, 1 the shoulder strap, and 8, generally speaking, the fastening means. The garment is conventional, but the tab is, so far as I know, new and novel. This tab comprises a suitably proportioned strip of appropriate fabric of general rectangular form and the opposite ends are preferably V-shaped, the lower V- shaped end being stitched or otherwise secured, as at 9, to the apex of the part of the garment 5 to which it is attached. This tab is sufiiciently long to permit it to be turned or folded upon itself to define a substantially U-shaped loop, this as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The attached end 9 is provided with a socket forming a keeper In, this forming one of the parts of the snap-fastening device which is preferably employed. This, part *lll serves to accommodate the snap fastener head I l on the disk 12, the latter secured to the V-shaped free end portion of said tab. The tab is formed centrally with an elongated slot l3 which is marginally bound and represents what looks like a button-hole. This, however, is merely an entrance guide and keeper for the free end portion of the shoulder strap 1. The type of shoulder strap which I employ is such as to pass slidably but snugly through the guide and keeper slot l3. It is provided at closely spaced, longitudinally arranged points with a plurality of marginally reinforced button-holes l4. These are such as to permit the headed part of the snap fastener to pass through same. Consequently, and as brought out in Figure 3, the snap-fastener means serves not only to form the loop, but it also serves as the anchoring means for the relatively shiftable and adjustable shoulder strap.

It is believed that this fastener-equipped tabloop with its guide and keeper slot, and the coacting apertured shoulder strap provides an association and combination of elements which is such as to fulfill the requirements of a long-felt need in this specific line of endeavor. The choice, selection and assembling of elements is such as to achieve the desired end and the overall structure is possessed of requisite simplicity, economy and safety factors.

In actual practice, the opposite end, of the shoulder strap, not here shown, is of course permanently or otherwise secured to the back of the garment, and, as before stated, I have 50 Prepared the drawings and presented the case to focus attention merely on the invention itself rather than on collateral parts.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of in vention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired,

I claim:

1. In a garment shoulder strap and means for adjustably attaching the strap to the garment comprising, in combination, a garment, a shoulder strap, one end of which is adapted to be perinanently connected to said garment, and means for adjustably connecting the remaining end of said strap to a predetermined portion of said garmerit, said means being a relatively short foldable cloth tab, one end of said tab being perma- 'n'e'htly secured to said garment, said tab being transversely folded upon. itself at a point substantially midway opposite ends of the tab, means separably connecting the respective ends oi the tab to one another and thus defining a loop, the folded portion of said loop being provided with a slot for passage of said shoulder strap, the latter strap having its free end portion passing through said slotthen down between the end portions of the tab for adjustment and fastening purposes.

2. In a garment shoulder strap and adjustable fastening means for the free end portion of said shoulder strap, in combination, a garment, a shoulder strap adapted to be permanently secured at one end to a predetermined part of said garment, a relatively short tab secured at one of its ends to said garment said tab being folded upon itself transversely at a point between its opposite ends and defining a loop, the folded portion of said loop being provided with a slot, the free end of said shoulder strap extending slidably through said slot and being slidably shiftable between the end portions of said looped tab, connecting snap-fasteners mounted on the respective end portions of said tab and separately connecting said end portions together, the free end portion of said strap being adjustably connectable with said snap-fasteners.

3. In a garment shoulder strap and adjustable fastening means for the free end portion of said shoulder strap, in combination, a garment, a shoulder strap adapted to be permanently secured at one end to a predetermined part of said garnient, a tab secured at one of its ends to said garment, said tab being folded upon itself transversely at a point between its opposite ends and defining a strap loop, the folded portion of said loop being provided with a slot, the free end of said shoulder strap extending lidably through said slot and being slidably shiftable between the end portions of said looped tab, connecting snap-fasteners mounted on the respective end portions of said tab and separately connecting said end portions together, said free end portion being adjustably connectable with said snap-fasteners, this by way of longitudinally spaced button-holes provided in said free end portion.

VIVIAN AIRI-IART PATTERSON.

REFERENCES CITED he following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,64 5,-12l Y Stewart Oct. 11, 1927 ,789,402 Fagan Jan. 21, 1931 2,063,104 Kibbe Dec. 8, 1936 2,090,864 Grein Aug. 24, 1937 

